Knights
| 03/04/25 vs West Port | 13 |
| 02/28/25 @ Santa Fe | 3 |
| 02/26/25 vs Williston | 9 |
| 02/21/25 @ West Port | 14 |
| 02/17/25 vs Dunnellon | 7 |
| + 3 more games |
Vanguard is 1-9 against North Marion since April of 2019 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Thursday. The Vanguard Knights are taking a road trip to take on the North Marion Colts at 6:30 p.m. Vanguard is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.1 runs per game this season.
Vanguard took a loss when they played away from home on Friday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Tuesday. They were the clear victor by a 13-3 margin over West Port. The Knights haven't had any issues with the Wolf Pack recently, as the game was their sixth consecutive victory against them.
Clayton ?CT? Antonucci made a big impact no matter where he played. On the mound, he pitched one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. Antonucci was also big at the plate, scoring three runs and stealing a base while going 3-for-4.
In other pitching news, Brendan McLaughlin looked comfortable as he tossed three innings while giving up just two earned runs off one hit. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two hits in three consecutive appearances.
Back at the plate, the team relied heavily on Jacob ?Jake? Wells, who scored a run while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances. He also put up a double, which was his first of the season. Noah Robinson was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 1-for-4.
Vanguard always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .548. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as West Port only posted an OBP of .364.
Meanwhile, North Marion has relied on a stalwart pitchers averaging 3.6 runs allowed per game, but that average took a hit on Tuesday. They took a 13-8 hit to the loss column at the hands of Lincoln.
North Marion also got a good showing from Lucas Nichols, who pitched three innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits.
On the hitting side, Tucker Jones and Rowan Quartararo did some serious damage despite the final result: Jones went 3-for-7 with three doubles and three RBI, while Quartararo went 2-for-6 with one home run and three runs. That's the most runs Quartararo has posted since back in April of 2024. Another player making a difference was Troy Guynn, who scored two runs while going 2-for-7.
Vanguard's win was their sixth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 7-1. As for North Marion, they have been struggling recently as they've lost five of their last six contests. That's put a noticeable dent in their 4-6 record this season.
North Marion's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Vanguard hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .325. It's a different story for North Marion, though, as they've only averaged .230. Will they be able to contain Vanguard's hitters?
Vanguard came up short against North Marion in their previous meeting back in April of 2024, falling 4-1. Can Vanguard avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
